Yacht Delivery Blog

The life onboard definitely has its own rhythm. Three hours on watch, three hours off – it leads to a lot of solitude, strange sleep patterns (waking up at odd hours seems to be the norm!), and a constant awareness of what's going on around the boat. High-stress situations can pop up unexpectedly, but thankfully, they're usually interspersed with stretches of peaceful calm. Napping whenever possible becomes an essential skill, and household chores find their way onto the agenda even in the middle of the ocean. On a new boat, especially one that hasn't been fully tested yet, keeping an ear and an eye on the mechanical and electrical systems becomes an additional, ever-present responsibility. The wind situation remains unchanged. We've decided to make a beeline for Trinidad, opting to motor directly there rather than risk staying in what feels like a bullseye. The internet, while a fantastic tool for weather forecasts, current checks, and tracking, can also be a double-ed...

As they say, smooth seas never made a skilled sailor, and our little adventure is certainly providing some valuable lessons in adaptation. The unusable sail was definitely a setback, but true to form, we're already brainstorming solutions. Technology has truly come to the rescue in this case, thanks to Starlink . Not only did it allow us to research the marina, fuel situation, and clearance procedures in Cape Verde, but it also unearthed a glimmer of hope for our oversized sail! We've found a lead on a sailmaker who might be able to help us by cutting it down to size. It's a long shot, but it's a possibility far better than yesterday's outlook. On a slightly more alarming note (at least from this sailor's perspective!), we managed to sail right off the edge of our current chart. The thought of approaching unknown islands and making an unplanned landfall is enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. Yes, sailors of yore did it all the time, but with a signif...

Well, we've finally made that long-awaited turn south! No more heading towards New York for us – smooth sailing (literally) towards the Canaries. Dry feet are definitely back on the agenda, much to the relief of our increasingly damp socks. The northerly wind is picking up just as predicted, clocking in at 15-20 knots. While it pushes us nicely in the right direction, the good kind of push also comes with the not-so-good kind of chill. Yesterday, a realization dawned on us – the engines need a 200-hour service as part of the warranty, and they only had about 25 hours on them at the time. So, here we are, juggling a bit of engine time with sail power. We're alternating between running one engine at a time for 6 hours while using just the headsail. This should get us closer to that magic 200-hour mark. Not the most exciting solution, but hey, preventative maintenance is key, right? Speaking of excitement, yesterday did bring a brush with a navy patrol boat. Thankfully, we didn...